


Hickies

by thelonewolfwrites



Category: Baahubali (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brother Feels, Brother-Sister Relationships, Brotherhood, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Not Canon Compliant, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 17:23:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21256919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelonewolfwrites/pseuds/thelonewolfwrites
Summary: Bhallaladeva is cocooned in a shroud all day and Devasena is determined to find out why.(Sequel to Vadinamma)





	Hickies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MayavanavihariniHarini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayavanavihariniHarini/gifts), [arpita](https://archiveofourown.org/users/arpita/gifts), [Inkn1ght1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkn1ght1/gifts), [CarminaVulcana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarminaVulcana/gifts), [spiffycups](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiffycups/gifts).

> Thank you for this fun prompt @Shubhro, this one's for you. 
> 
> A special shoutout to @carminavulcana for just being there for me, all the time. ❤
> 
> @Arpita, here's some tree goodness for you. Oh btw, no chammdddiii here lol.

I despised secrets. Period. 

Baahu and my dearest brother-in-law were buzzing in each other's ears and typically, they are up to something when that happens. I know it in my bones. I'm determined to find out what it is, though. 

Couple of weeks ago, Indu paid me a visit from _Kuntala_ during the _Krishna_ _Puja_ season, she knows I am a loyal devotee. She went to the lengths of bringing me bounteous gifts from home. Sumithra _vadina_ and Jayanna ensured that she didn't come empty-handed. 

Deep emerald mangoes from the trees as old as I am, peaches, apples, three varieties of berries and ripe little guavas came in the largest gold-coated _ kunda _ s from my palace. I could swear by the _ Gods, _ even _ Amma _ raised her eyebrows in appreciation. The pinnacle of animated reactions in her books. The best one can get out of her when she is impressed. Maybe, her mouth was slightly parted, oh well, I'm not obsessing over it. 

Did I mention that _ Kuntalans _ predominantly indulged in farming and cattle rearing? Hence, the fervid production of exquisite hybrid fruits and flowers. I am proud of my private garden back home and solely responsible for anything that sprouts out of the soil. The only frustrated soul would be Lalitha, the Royal beautician of _ Kuntala _. She faints at the sight of my nails, perpetually. Sometimes, she earns a smirk when I'm in a jovial mood. 

  


Oh and the glorious _ thaalis _ of _ puvvulu _ ! _ Nā Kanna _! 

_ Thella kaluva _ , tricolor _ gulabi _ , _ banthi, mogali, chāmanti _ , _ thāmara _ , _ mandhārapuvvu, _ and not to forget the _ mallepuvvu _ ! It gives me tremendous gratification to string the jasmine flowers myself. It's a raging trend during the _ Puja. _

Innumerable pots filled the palace courtyard, the space in front of the _ Puja Sthalam _ . Jayanna made it a spectacle with our country's finest as a backlash to the mockery of a proposal from the _ Mahishmatians _. The only difference was that these offerings were laced with fondness and love. 

Baahu visibly cringes whenever I tease him of their ridiculous proposal. I don't even recall the name of that pompous _ Amātya _. That is a tale for another time. 

My little sister stayed with us for a week with overzealous pampering from _ Amma _and Baahu. I always saw a different side to my husband when she was around.

He doted around her like an older brother and he almost crushed a drunkard's eyes into fine powder for catcalling the Crown Princess of _ Kuntala _ in the marketplace. 

Bhalla had to physically restrain him. It was so unlike him to swing into a rabid mood. Little does he know that Indu is fairly capable of protecting herself. She can effortlessly outmanoeuvre any trained _ Kuntalan _ soldier, her knife-throwing skills are unmatched to this day. 

The spectacle at the marketplace was over for the day. 

The following day, the same man waited at the gates of the palace when Indu and I were about to leave for the _ Kooli Amman Gudi. _

He groveled at Indu's feet to pardon him for his misdemeanor and I was not surprised when I noticed his mangled jaw and a black eye. As was anticipated, my idiot must have returned to the scene and bathed him in punches. 

"What happened to your face? " I gestured to his jaw. 

"I tripped and fell down the stairs, Maharani. _ Dandālamma _. " 

His eyes pleaded to leave the premises and he rushed out of our way. 

That was no accident. No. Someone broke that man's face and I can bet a hundred gold pieces on it. 

Oh well, he had it coming. 

\---

"Baahu, did you beat up that drunkard from the marketplace? " I would have easily sewn up his mouth myself but that man was in drunken oblivion, he was not worth my time. 

"Hah.. If it weren't for Bhalla, he would be wearing a mauled jaw for the rest of his life. How dare he direct wolf whistles at my _ maradalu _?! The sick scumbag!" Baahu threw a fit. 

I frowned. 

If my husband did not hurt him, then who did? 

\---

Bhalla observed his reddish tinged knuckles and absentmindedly ran his thumb over it. 

No one gets away with taunting his Indu. **No one.**

That filthy mongrel should be grateful for his head still intact on his body. 

\---

Around the same time-frame, Bhalla walked around the palace all day with his _ angavastram _ wrapped around like a shroud. 

_ **The man does not rest for a second without fawning over his muscles at every ornate mirror at the palace, let alone cover it up.** _

Something smells fishy and I was determined to find out why. 

Was he injured? Was he covering up the bruises from a tavern brawl? 

Well, I can hardly judge what these _ Mahishmatians _ do for merriment, so I'll just keep guessing away or I could just ask the ridiculous giant. He certainly needs an intervention. 

I marched into his chambers like I owned the place, yes, that is kind of my thing. It's my no-nonsense prance. It intimidates my opponents into confessing their deepest and darkest secrets. 

Uhm, well, it is the first step.

Bhalla gazed out the window, not aware of my presence there. I cleared my throat to catch his attention but to no avail. He appeared to be lost in the trance of the moon. 

Okay, there's only one reason why a man stares at the moon. It is a drossy justification for falling in love or thinking about a woman. 

I rolled my eyes heavenward for the millionth time. I had to, otherwise it would be the millionth facepalm instead. 

Really, Bhalla? 

_ **Such. A. Nātaka Rani. ** _

"Bhalla. Are you okay, _ nanna _? "

There was a sudden change in his demeanor upon hearing my voice and he grew…nervous? 

"Why wouldn't I be, Deva! It's a full-moon night and I bet your husband is looking for you, what are you doing here, anyway? " Momentarily, a jittery smile graced his lips and his fingers surreptitiously tugged on his shroud and he turned to face me with nonchalance. 

_ The fool thought I missed the move. _

"Something is...off about you, today. You seem tense. Since when do you quake upon hearing my voice? "

"Whatever do you mean, I'm absolutely fine. Look at me, I'm Bhallaladeva, a prodigious creation of _ Parameshwara _himself. I do not have bad hair days...or just bad days for that matter." He flexed his arm without taking the shroud off to prove his point. 

I cocked my eyebrow. 

_ Nothing weird about that, huh. _

In the few months that I have resided in Mahishmati, I have scrutinized each and every member of this family. And I can debate with the Gods over how he would never flex his muscles without taking off his upper clothing. **Never**. 

The self-love game was strong here. 

"Take off your shroud. **Now**. What are you hiding underneath it? " I used my terrorizing tone. This should break him. 

Sweat beads clung to his forehead and he looked flushed. 

**Yes**.

He was crumbling from the inside. 

"How inappropriate is that, _ vadina _?" He let out a mock gasp and waggled his eyebrows. 

I slightly wrenched his ear and he hissed in pain. 

"Please let me be, Deva. I'm just tired. Just me let go, **ouch**, it hurts." He tried to dodge me to the best of his abilities. 

"That is a cartload of bullshit and you know it. I know you're hiding some-" Now that I was in close proximity of him, I glanced at a semi bite-mark, veiled by the shroud, at the spot where his neck met his shoulder. 

"Who did that to you? Dear me! Is that why you've been running around in a shroud all day? Have you been to the _Rajavaidhya_? You don't want any infections forming on your skin, trust me! Perhaps, he could whip up something for you-" I ranted away like a fool until realisation struck me like lightening. 

He was not a child, no. This enormous buffoon had clearly engaged in some devious sexual activity. 

_ Well, shit. _

Internally, I bashed my skull into a wall. That was stupid, even for me. Allow me to bury my head in the ground. 

Why did it not strike me the first time I saw it? How could I possibly think it was a tavern brawl? 

He took off the shroud tardily and showed me the love marks on his neck, chest and shoulder. He wasn't smirking, no, he seemed vulnerable and teary-eyed for some reason. 

I wonder why… 

"Judging by the mortified look on your face, you probably know what transpired. Huh. But for God's sake, please don't tell _ Amma. " _His eyes pleaded. 

"You think I can talk about your hickies to _ Amma _with a straight face? You must be insane! Hah. I can imagine the mortified look mirrored on her face, though. " And to this, he laughed heartily, like the rumbling bark of a banyan tree.

His facade of toughness is reserved for the people outside the immediate circle. Sometimes, even _ Amma _cannot figure out what the hell is going on with him. 

Many do not know that he is a melting cup of saffron milk and ice on the inside. 

"And to answer your concerns, no, this was not just a random courtesan." 

His face turned radiant and his eyes shone like a lovestruck teenager.

"She's an angel sent from _ paralokam, vadina. _ I **love** her. I really do. Contrary to popular belief, I have things under control for once. "

Here we go, **again**. What is with this boy?

I had a worried look on my face and I said nothing. Just eyed him with dejection. 

From the moment I laid my eyes on him, a gawking emptiness fleeted on his face and nobody can convince me otherwise. 

Of one thing I was sure, whenever he is ready, he will come running to tell me the whole story. 

I ruffled his wavy locks. 

Oh, did I mention that I am the second person allowed to touch his hair after his mother. Even Baahu gets his arse whipped if he attempts to do so. 

"I hope you know what you're doing, Bhalla. "

I was not against sexual liberation, no, I was worried about the aching black hole in his chest. It could singularly suck the life out of him. For his sake, I hope he did find someone special, I truly do. 

Oh _ Kanna _! I thank the heavens over and over again. What would I do without Baahu? I do not want to imagine living in a world without him. 

I left his chambers without a second glance. I needed to talk to Baahu about his brother. We have to get him married as **soon **as possible. 

And the next task is to have a word with _ Amma, _it is high time we went bride-hunting. I'm positive that with her scrutiny and my good eye for character judgement, we are bound to find the right Princess for Bhalla.

Yes. That is the only way to solve this nonsense. We cannot have an unmarried Prince of Mahishmati roam around the country with a neck full of hickies. God, no. If _Amma _comes to know of this, she will kick him to the stables without a second thought. 

\---

I was in my chamber, retiring for the night, snuggly warm Baahu's arms as a thought struck me out of the blue. 

** _The lovemarks had appeared on Bhalla's neck around the same time as Indu's stay at Mahishmati._ **

Rage seized my body as I convulsed out of Baahu's embrace. 

"**Two weeks**. You told me Bhalla was in love for two weeks! Do you not remember the hickies on his neck around the time Indu was here for the _Krishna_ _Puja_? " I seethed. 

"Do I look like my brother's baby-sitter? I haven't the faintest idea what you mean, Deva! " Baahu shrugged. 

"Are you trying to fool me, Baahu? You knew they were in a relationship long before you claimed to know about them. You truly are your brother's keeper. Don't think you can get away with this. " I huffed and got off the bed. 

Baahu scratched his head groggily and I went over to the balcony.

I needed some air. I folded my hands over one another and gaped ahead. My baby sister rendering hickies to that lecher! Ugh. 

_ Yuvaraja _ Bhallaladeva is a **dead** man. 

Only the handle of my old friend, ** _jvāla krurudu_ ** _ (flame fiend) _can calm me now. She was a gift from my father when I turned four years old.

The golden swan hilt glinted beside my end of the bed as I reached for it. 

Baahu appeared behind me and locked me in a rigid embrace, lips brushing against my neck, enough to contain me. 

"_Bangaram, _listen to me, I admit I knew what was going on. Okay? I lied to you to protect Bhalla. You see what you're doing… " He pointed to my sword. 

"I knew you would want to draw blood the minute you hear of their interlude. Are we not just as precarious as they are? Did we not engage in frivolous and wicked deeds when we fell in love? "

I remained silent because I knew he made sense. I hate it when he is right. 

He placed a finger beneath my chin and urged me to look at him. 

**Fine**. I will not slay him. Not tonight. 

He persuaded me further as he captured my lips in a soft kiss that turned passionate and needy, very quickly.

He carried me to the bed as I dropped the sword to the floor. 

"Besides, we have other things to worry about, my love. Like making little princesses and princes," he growled. 

It was going to be a long night, indeed. 

\---

**Author's Note:**

> The different names of flowers are all in telugu because I just love that language too much. Sorry not sorry. 
> 
> I've translated some words here off the top of my head:
> 
> Kunda - Pot  
Nātaka Rani - Drama Queen  
Vadina - sister in law  
Puja Sthalam - The place where the puja is conducted.


End file.
